


The 12 Days of Christmas

by stirringofmysoul



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Christmas, Hallmark Christmas Movies, Hallmark Movies, Harry Styles - Freeform, Liam Payne - Freeform, Liam Payne/Louis Tomlinson - Freeform, Louis Tomlinson - Freeform, M/M, Mpreg, Niall Horan - Freeform, Parent Liam Payne, Parent Louis Tomlinson, Romance, liam payne/louis tomlinson fluff, lilo, one direction - Freeform, small town
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2018-11-29
Packaged: 2019-09-02 01:42:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16777108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stirringofmysoul/pseuds/stirringofmysoul
Summary: For the past five years Louis Tomlinson has avoided anything to do with Christmas.  Will a trip to Evergreen, Colorado help him rediscover the magic of the season? (or the Hallmark Christmas Lilo fic you didn't know you needed)





	The 12 Days of Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is a love letter to Hallmark Christmas movies.
> 
> The story takes place in an alternative universe where One Direction does not exist. I do not own Louis, Liam, Harry, or Niall. I do, however, own all original characters.
> 
> Warning: This story contains boys kissing, slight swearing, and mentions of mpreg.
> 
> Enjoy!

_Evergreen, Colorado is a sleepy little town just three hours outside of Denver. It’s the kind of place where no one locks their doors and neighbors really do borrow cups of sugar from one another. The highlight of the year is the town’s Christmas Festival. Two weeks before Christmas Day Evergreen is turned into a winter wonderland. There’s everything from snowman building to ice skating to a cookie exchange…all leading up to the 12 Days of Christmas Eve Walk on Pine Lane. It’s a magical place to live._

“Mr. Anderson, come in…” Louis Tomlinson said as he opened the door to his condo.

The grey-haired lawyer ambled inside. “Mr. Tomlinson. It’s nice to see you. I’m sorry it has to be under these circumstances,” he replied.

Louis swallowed the lump in his throat. “Yes, same,” he said. “Can I get you something to drink?” he offered.

“Tea if you have it,” Mr. Anderson said as he slipped out of his coat.

“Of course, we can set up in the kitchen,” Louis suggested, happy to have a brief distraction from the reason for the visit.

“Fine, fine…just lead the way,” Mr. Anderson replied.

It had been two months since Louis’ grandmother, Elizabeth (shortened to Betty), had passed away at her home in Evergreen, Colorado. The pair had been very close (he even named his daughter (Ellie) after her) so it made sense that he had been appointed the executor of her will. 

Once they were in the kitchen Louis put the kettle on and Mr. Anderson unpacked his briefcase.

“Milk, sugar, honey?” Louis asked him.

“Just milk,” Mr. Anderson replied as he shuffled through a stack of papers. 

“Okay,” Louis said, opening up the fridge and grabbing the carton. After the kettle whistled he fixed two mugs, adding milk to Mr. Anderson’s drink before joining him at the table. 

“Thank you,” Mr. Anderson said, accepting the mug from Louis’ hand. “Now…as you can see your grandmother was very thorough.” 

Louis eyed the mountain of paperwork that sat between them. “Yes…yes, she was,” he said with a small laugh. 

“First of all…she left a letter for you,” he said, pushing an envelope towards Louis.

He opened up the seal and got a bit misty-eyed when he saw her familiar scrawl. His eyes scanned over the paper.

_Louis,_

_Even though I’m no longer with you don’t think I still can’t tell you what to do…I’m always going to be your grandma after all._

Louis smiled to himself. Her feisty spirit was evident even on paper.

_Now that I’m gone I want to ask you to do one thing before you sell the house. Please go to Evergreen and stay on Pine Lane for the holidays. I know the past few years have been hard on your heart, but I hope that being home for the Christmas Festival will help you to remember all the good things about the season. If by the 25th you still want to sell the house you have my blessing. Love, Grandma_

Louis wiped the tears that had collected in the corners of his eyes. To say the past few years had been difficult was an understatement. Right after Ellie was born his husband, Ryan, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The stress of caring for a newborn and watching the love of his life suffering was almost too much to bear. Ryan passed away the following winter and Louis stopped celebrating the Christmas. He and his daughter never put up a tree or hung a stocking on the mantle. When Louis was growing up his family visited his grandparents in Evergreen every holiday season, but those visits ceased after Ryan’s death. Evergreen was the first place they had celebrated Christmas together and the reminders were too painful. 

As Louis put the letter back in the envelope he saw his grandma had also included a checklist of holiday activities for his convenience. She had thought of every detail.

“Are you alright?” Mr. Anderson asked, gently shaking Louis from his thoughts.

Louis cleared his throat. “I’m fine,” he replied. “What else do I need to look through?” 

Mr. Anderson reached for the next sheet of paper in the stack. The pair spent the better part of an hour going through the rest of the necessary forms.

“According to my instructions, I’m supposed to check back in with you on the 25th?” Mr. Anderson said as he packed up his things.

“Yes, that’s umm…that’s right,” Louis stammered. “We’ll reconnect then.”

Once Mr. Anderson left he poured a glass of wine for himself and settled on the couch in the living room. Louis didn’t want to travel to Evergreen and he definitely had no desire to attend the Christmas Festival.

But it was his grandmother’s last wish...it was the least he could do for her.

_The First Day of Christmas- December 13, 2018_

_The Town of Evergreen Welcomes You!_

The hand-carved wooden sign greeted Louis as he eased his rented black Land Rover around the corner. The road had been cleared, but the plow wasn’t fast enough to keep up with the steadily falling snow. After living in downtown Chicago for the past decade he wasn’t used to driving anymore (he took public transit everywhere)…and he really wasn’t used to doing it in the elements.

Though Louis hadn’t spent a Christmas in Evergreen in ages everything about the town felt familiar. There was the local diner, the general store, Town Square, the library….

“Be careful!” a voice called out.

Louis’ right foot hit the brake pedal hard, almost causing the SUV to skid off the road. His breath caught in his throat and he quickly looked behind him to check on Ellie. She was still dozing in her car seat, oblivious to the world around her.

“Stop sign!” the blonde haired man attached to the voice said. Louis turned back around and watched him tap the octagon shaped sign with his palm for emphasis.

Now that he could breathe again Louis rolled down the window enough to shout out an “I’m sorry!”

The man flashed him a smile and a thumbs up sign as he jogged across the road, the snow crunching under his boots.

“This is so not Chicago,” Louis muttered to himself. If he had been back in the city he would have gotten a very different hand gesture. He gave one more quick peek Ellie’s way. She gave him a bleary blue-eyed little wave in return.

“Daddy, are we there yet?” she murmured.

“Almost there, baby doll,” he said before rolling the window back up and easing his foot off the brake.

Ellie yawned and stretched her arms. “Good, I’m hungry,” she said.

“You and me both,” Louis said as pushed his brown locks away from his eyes. He hunched over the steering wheel as he tried to see out the windshield. “Number 6 Pine Lane…”

It was as if the Red Sea parted when his grandparents’ house came into view. The small cottage style home looked like it had been dropped in the middle of a snow globe. 

Louis parked in the driveway and turned away from the house to look back at Ellie. “We’re here,” he told her.

“Dinner?” she asked hopefully.

Louis reached over to tickle her. “I swear you think with your stomach,” he teased her.

“Dadddddy…” she said through a fit of giggles. 

“Fine, fine…let’s get that tummy fed,” he said. 

Louis opened the door and eased himself onto the pavement. He gingerly took a step. Between the falling snow and the stuff already on the ground, the driveway was an ice rink. The last thing he needed to do was slip. Once he felt steady enough he opened the back door and helped Ellie out of her seat.

“There’s a lot more snow here than at home,” she said as took in her surroundings.

“Be careful,” he warned her as they walked along the un-shoveled front path towards the front porch.

Ellie stepped delicately next to her father, her wide eyes scanning the house. Louis shoved his hand into his pocket, fumbling around until he found the key Mr. Anderson had left with him. As he unlocked the door and stepped into the foyer a million memories hit him in the chest.

He remembered the crackle of logs in the living room fireplace. The smell of his grandma baking cookies in the kitchen. The sound of Grandpa Sam playing songs on the piano. His whole family in one place.

Ellie tugged on his hand. “Which room is mine?” she asked him.

Louis swallowed back his thoughts and looked down at her. “You can sleep in my old room,” he told her.

Ellie raised an eyebrow. “You have a room here?” she asked.

“I do,” Louis confirmed. “Remember I told you I used to come here every Christmas when I was a kid.”

“Why?” she asked, her face crinkling up.

Before Louis could answer her question there was a knock as someone called out, “Hello? Anyone home?” The front door creaked open.

Louis reached for the closest thing he could use as a weapon…an umbrella. “Stay here,” he ordered Ellie.

He took a step into the foyer, nearly running into a handsome sandy brown haired man. “Hi! I’m Liam,” he greeted him.

“You’re in my house,” Louis replied, his umbrella poised to strike with the pointy end.

“I knocked,” Liam pointed out. He seemed unfazed by Louis’ tough guy act. “I live next door…I didn’t realize new neighbors were moving in already. A FOR SALE sign hasn’t even gone up.” 

“Knocking usually means you wait for an answer,” Louis replied. “And I’m not your neighbor. We’re just visiting,” he added.

“Oh, you’re Betty’s grandson. I recognize you from your pictures. I was so sorry to hear she passed away,” Liam said sympathetically. “Your grandma was such a sweet lady.”

Louis softened a little, lowering the umbrella to his side. “Thank you…what did you say your name was?” he asked.

“Liam…Liam Payne,” he said and offered a hand. “I live next door…Number 8.”

Louis slipped his free hand into his to shake. “Daddy, I’m hungry…” Ellie said as she ran into the room. Upon the realization that he wasn’t alone she took a step back and behind Louis’ legs.

“Who is this little lady?” Liam asked with a smile.

“Ellie,” she said, peeking her face out just a bit.

He knelt down to get on her level. “Hi, Ellie. I’m Liam. I live next door with my daughter…and I bet she’s about your age. Let me guess…are you six?” he asked.

Ellie smiled and nodded her head.

“I knew it! My little girl’s name is Avery and she is six-years-old too,” Liam explained.

“Cool,” Ellie replied, unsure if the prospect of a playmate overshadowed her shyness or not.

“If you’re hungry you could join us for dinner,” Liam offered as he got back up to a standing position.

“Can we, Daddy?” Ellie asked Louis. Obviously her hunger trumped her shyness.

“Whoa, whoa…let’s slow down here,” Louis said, holding up a hand. “Liam, it’s very nice of you to offer, but I was just going to make something here tonight.”

“The general store closes at 5:00…so unless you brought groceries with you…” Liam trailed off.

Louis had not done that...and this wasn’t exactly the kind of place GrubHub delivered to. “I’m sure the diner’s still open…” he replied.

“Don’t be silly. You can have a home cooked meal with us,” Liam insisted.

Louis had a feeling this guy was not going to take no for an answer and a warm meal that he didn’t have to cook/pay for sounded nice. “Okay, if you’re sure we’re not imposing,” he said.

“It’s my pleasure,” Liam assured him. He opened the front door and then paused, looking back at them when they didn’t move.

“Oh…you mean right now,” Louis said with a chuckle. He leaned down to zip Ellie’s coat back up before taking her hand in his.

“I’ve lived here for the past three years. I don’t remember ever seeing you before,” Liam said as they headed back out into cold winter air. “Watch the step there.”

Louis made a mental note to find a shovel in the garage tomorrow. This porch was an accident waiting to happen. “I haven’t been here in a while,” he said. 

Liam guided them down the small path between their homes to his front door. “Ah, that would explain it,” he replied. He pushed open the door to his house. “Welcome to the Payne abode. Just kick off your boots and make yourself comfortable.” 

Louis and Ellie stepped into the cozy interior. Liam’s house was similar in layout to his grandparents’ place. Foyer, living room and kitchen on the main level. He assumed a laundry room in the back and three bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs. The only glaring difference was the abundance of Christmas decorations. 

“Avery! Megan! We have company,” Liam called out. He slid his coat off and hung it on a nearby hook. Louis followed suit. First helping Ellie out of her puffy pink coat and boots before disrobing his own outerwear. 

A little girl, who could only be described as Liam’s tiny clone, slid on the hardwood floor, skidding to a stop in front of them. “Ah! Hello!” she said excitedly. Clearly she had inherited her father’s confidence. 

Ellie retreated behind Louis’ legs again. 

Louis smiled kindly. “Hi there…you must be Avery,” he said to her. “You look exactly like your father.” 

Liam rubbed his hands together. “That’s because I made her in a lab in the basement,” he teased. 

Avery’s brown ringlets bobbed as she laughed. “Daddy! That’s silly,” she said. 

“In the basement?” Ellie asked in confusion. 

“He’s just teasing, baby doll,” he assured his daughter. “My name is Louis. And this…” he said pushing gently on Ellie so she’d stand next to him. “…is Ellie.” 

“Hi,” Ellie said timidly. 

A woman, who Louis assumed must be Megan, joined them in the foyer. “Hello…” she said and gave a Liam a look. “Are you bringing home strays now?” she asked. 

“What can I say…I’m a sucker,” Liam said with a laugh. 

“Louis and Ellie Tomlinson…my family used to live next door,” he said, offering his hand. 

“Oh, Betty,” Megan replied as she gave up her hand. “She was such a lovely lady.” 

“Thank you,” Louis replied appreciatively. “Your husband strong-armed us into having dinner with you. I hope we’re not imposing.” 

A look of horror washed over her face. “Husband?” Megan nearly choked. “Liam is my brother.” 

“Oh! Sorry,” Louis quickly apologized for his faux pas. 

“No worries,” Megan said with a wave of her hand. “It’s sad how often people assume we’re married.” 

“I guess I could do worse,” Liam snickered and elbowed his sister in the side. She promptly smacked his hand. “Dinner’s just about ready…why don’t you follow me?” 

“Daddy,” Ellie whispered and tugged at his sleeve as the Paynes all marched into the kitchen like a family of penguins. 

“Yes, El?” he asked, looking down at her. 

“They have a tree in their house,” she whispered. 

“Oh…” Louis said as he looked at the Douglas Fir illuminated with twinkling lights in the living room. “It’s a Christmas tradition in some places.” 

“Oh,” Ellie said in reply. “It’s weird.” 

“It’s just different,” Louis said to her. “Avery seems nice. Why don’t you sit next to her?” 

Ellie considered this before nodding. “Alright,” she replied. 

“Please, take a load off,” Liam said and gestured to the kitchen table. “We’re just having chili and cornbread…nothing fancy.” 

“That sounds great,” Louis said as he helped Ellie into the chair next to Avery. He sat on her other side. “Is there anything I can do to help?” 

“Oh, no…you’re our guest,” Liam replied. He ladled the chili out of the crock pot and Megan set the bowls onto the table. 

“Can I get you something to drink?” Megan asked them. 

“Water is fine,” Louis replied. “Thank you.” 

“Do you have juice?” Ellie asked. “Please,” she added. 

Megan smiled. “Sure, coming right up,” she said. 

“Are you going to live next door?” Avery asked while her father and aunt finished putting everything on the table. 

“No, we’re just visiting,” Louis explained to her. “We live in Chicago, Illinois.” 

“Is that very far away?” Avery asked him. 

“It’s like super far…we had to get on a plane and drive in a car,” Ellie said to her. 

Avery’s brown eyes widened. “Whoa…that’s super far,” she agreed. 

Louis smiled, glad Ellie seemed to be coming out of her shell. He took a sip from the glass Megan had set in front of him. 

“How long are you in town for?” Liam asked, sliding into the seat across from him. Megan settled into the right of her brother. 

Louis scooped some chili onto his spoon. “We’ll be here until the 25th…then it’s off to Maui,” he said. 

“Maui…wow,” Liam said between bites. “That sure beats a negative twenty wind chill.” 

Louis bit the inside of his cheek. “Ellie and I don’t exactly do Christmas traditionally,” he explained. 

“We always go somewhere warm,” Ellie piped up. “Last year we went to Disney World.” 

Avery looked like she was going to lose her mind. “Disney World? Did you meet Elsa and Anna!?” she asked her. The two girls began to chat about princesses and talking animals and the like. 

Megan picked up a piece of cornbread and began to butter it. “What do you do for a living?” she asked Louis. 

He turned to look at his dinner companion. “I am a graphic designer. I work for one of the city colleges,” he explained. “What about you?” 

“I live in Denver…I’m a nurse,” Megan explained. 

“Oh, so you’re just visiting,” Louis said to her. 

Megan nodded her head. “Absolutely. There’s no way I could live in a place this small,” she told him. 

“Hey, now…don't knock it till you tried it,” Liam said with a chuckle. “Small town living has a lot of perks.” 

“But no Walmart,” Megan pointed out. 

“Or McDonalds,” Avery lamented. 

“You don’t even like McDonalds,” Liam said with a shake of his head. 

“You said you moved here a few years ago?” Louis prompted. He wondered how anyone ended up here. Usually small towns were made up of generations of the families that lived there since the beginning of time. 

“Yeah…after my husband and I separated I wanted a fresh start. My friend, Harry, his aunt owns the diner here…he opened up a bakery next door. He can make cakes, but he can’t balance the books. I swooped in to rescue him,” Liam explained with a chuckle. 

Louis’ ears perked up when he heard the word husband. Even more surprising than Liam moving into a small town was Liam being gay and moving into a small town. 

“It all worked out then,” Louis replied. 

“Does the rest of your family live in Chicago too?” Liam asked him. 

“My parents did…but they just retired and moved out west,” he replied. Louis could sense where the conversation was headed. He knew the next question was going to be about Ellie’s other parent. He had to cut him off at the pass. “This chili is really good.” 

Liam puffed up his chest a bit. “Thank you…” he said and gave Megan a pointed look. 

“One time…one time I said you added too much pepper!” she huffed. 

The rest of the meal was spent in companionable chatter. The girls went to play in Avery’s room while the adults cleaned up the kitchen (Liam protested the help, but Louis insisted). 

“Thank you again for your hospitality,” Louis said as he and Ellie got their winter wear back on. 

“It was nothing,” Liam assured them. “We’re going to be doing a lot of the Christmas activities around here so just holler if you want to join us.” 

“Thank you…that’s nice of you to offer. We’ll have to see…” Louis said noncommittally. 

Liam nodded, seemingly taking the hint that something was a bit off kilter about Louis’ Christmas cheer. “Good night then…bye Ellie,” he said and gave her a little wave. 

“Bye,” she said with a little wave of her own. 

After his daughter was tucked into bed Louis went into the other guest room. It would have been too weird to stay in his grandparents’ bedroom. 

“I’m here, Grandma…” he said softly as he got into bed. “I’m not sure you’re going to get the results you want, but I’m here.” 

_The Second Day of Christmas- December 14, 2018_

A loud banging noise woke Louis up the next morning. He rolled over and tried to fall back to sleep, but the noise was incessant. He sat up and pulled at the shade revealing a clear view of Liam hanging lights on the eaves of his house. Louis leaned over and pulled the window pane up. 

“Hey! What are you doing out there at ass o’clock in the morning?” Louis asked. 

“Good morning!” Liam said cheerfully. “I’m just putting the finishing touches on the house.” 

“I can see that…” Louis said dryly. “What time is it?” 

“Oh, I’m sorry…did I wake you?” he asked, a frown forming on his face. 

“It’s…fine,” Louis said, for some reason not wanting to be the cause of Liam’s frown. He peered down and saw his elaborately decorated yard. “Are those…cows?” 

“Yes,” Liam confirmed like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Eight maids a-milking.” 

“Eight maids a…wait! You all still do that!?” Louis exclaimed. 

It had always been a tradition on Pine Lane to decorate according to the 12 Days of Christmas. 1 Pine Lane was a partridge in a pear tree. 2 Pine Lane was two turtledoves. Which made 8 Pine Lane eight maids a milking. It was all part of the annual Christmas Eve Walk down Pine Lane. 

“Of course we do,” Liam said cheerfully. “Let me know if you need help with your geese.” 

6 Pine Lane = Six geese a-layin'. 

Louis frowned. Ryan had helped decorate the year they had spent in Evergreen together…it had been one of his favorite things about the visit. “Do I have to?” he asked, completely realizing he sounded a bit bratty. 

“I mean it’s not mandatory…but it’s basically mandatory,” he said with a laugh. “And fair warning…Rebecca is not going to be happy about that.” 

“Rebecca McGill?!” Louis exclaimed. Rebecca lived at 1 Pine Lane and was in charge of the whole walk. Christ, she had been old when Louis was a kid. “She’s still alive?” 

Liam stifled a laugh. “And as demanding as ever,” he said. “So if you need help…let me know.” 

“You’ll be the first person I call,” Louis assured him. “Be careful out there.” 

“Will do,” Liam said with a little salute. 

Louis shut the window and pulled the shade back down. 

The floorboard creaked and Ellie materialized in the doorway. “Daddy, are you up?” she whispered. 

Louis quickly closed his eyes. “I’m still sleeping, baby doll,” he told her. 

Ellie giggled and climbed up onto the bed. “You are not…you’re talking,” she replied. 

Louis popped one eye open. “I was talking in my sleep,” he insisted. 

Ellie laughed and snuggled in, resting her head on his chest. “Who were you talking to?” she asked. 

Louis gave up all hope of falling back to sleep. He wrapped his arm around her and stroked her dark hair with his fingers. “Liam. He’s outside making noise,” he told her. 

“Oh, is Avery out there?” she asked him. 

“I didn’t see her…why?” Louis asked. 

Ellie shrugged. “She told me we should play together sometime,” she explained. 

“Oh…well…do you want to play with her?” he asked. 

Ellie nodded her head yes. “Her house was fun yesterday,” she said. 

“Hmm, well…I suppose we could ask Liam if it’s okay,” Louis replied. He was happy to see Ellie excited about a friend. She was a bit of a loner kid. 

“Cool,” Ellie said with a smile. 

Louis leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Since we’re up should we have some breakfast?” he asked. 

“Uh huh…pancakes,” she told him. 

“Oh, shit, I mean shoot…we still don’t have groceries,” Louis said, making a face. 

“You swore! Are we going back to Liam’s?” she asked. 

Louis laughed. “Sorry, I won’t do it again. And no, I think we’ve bothered Liam enough regarding food,” he said. “How about the diner?” 

Ellie bobbed her head yes. 

“Go wash your face, brush your teeth, and put on something warm,” he instructed her. 

Ellie scrambled out of the bed and raced towards the bathroom. Louis stretched his arms over his head. He was going to have to do the same things he had asked of his daughter…just at a much slower pace. 

In about fifteen minutes they were both loaded in the SUV and heading towards town. 

Ellie pressed her face against the window. “There’s a lot of decorations around here,” she commented. 

“Mmhmm,” he said to her. “The people here celebrate Christmas really hard.” 

“It’s pretty,” she said softly. 

When Louis heard her wistful tone he reminded himself he was going to try and give her a traditional Christmas this year and not to beat himself up about how he handled things in the past. 

***

Louis turned around to look at Ellie after he had parked the car on the main drag. “Alright, so pancakes at the diner…or donuts at the bakery?” he asked her when he spotted the bakery Liam had mentioned the previous night. 

Ellie tilted her head to the side as she considered her options. “Umm both?” she replied. 

Louis laughed and shook his head. “One,” he told her, holding up his index finger. 

“Donuts and…hot chocolate?” she suggested. 

Louis let out a dramatic sigh. “You drive a hard bargain, but yes…it’s a deal,” he told her. He offered his hand. 

She put her tiny hand in his and they shook on it. 

Louis got out of the car and freed her from her seat. The bell jingled on the door as they walked inside the bakery. If he thought Liam’s house was overly decorated the bakery was like the North Pole on steroids. 

“Good morning!” a curly-haired man greeted them from behind the counter. 

“Hello,” Louis said to him. “Are you Harry?” he asked, attempting to recall the name of Liam’s friend. 

“That’s me,” he replied cheerfully. “What can I get for you this morning?” he asked. 

“What do you recommend?” Louis asked as he spied pastry cases lined with cakes, cookies, and treats galore. 

“Let me see…” Harry said. He tilted his head to the side. “You look like a young lady that likes chocolate.” 

Ellie smiled and nodded yes. 

“And you…” he said, looking at Louis this time. “…you look like you need a coffee.” 

Louis snorted. “Thanks?” he replied. “I’m only mildly insulted.” 

“At least it was only mildly,” Harry replied with a wink. “Why don’t you have a seat and I’ll bring something over?” he offered. 

“Alright,” Louis agreed. He helped Ellie out of her coat and they settled at a table near the window. 

“There’s a choo-choo in here,” Ellie said, looking up at the toy train that circled around the ledge at the top of the wall. 

“That’s the Santa Express,” Harry said from behind the counter. “Obviously not the real one…but a very realistic model.” 

“I don’t ask Santa for presents,” Ellie said to him. 

“You don’t?” Harry asked, setting down a donut and mug of hot chocolate in front of her and a coffee and danish for Louis. 

Ellie shook her head no. “My daddy brings me what I ask for at Christmas,” she explained as she picked up the chocolate treat. 

“Oh, well…that works then,” Harry replied after a beat. 

Ellie shrugged and took a bite of her donut. 

“Have you been to Evergreen before?” Harry asked, trying to smooth over the awkwardness. “By the way, how did you know my name?” 

“I met your friend, Liam,” he replied. “My grandparents lived next door to his house. I used to visit around the holidays, but I haven’t been back in years. And I’m Louis.” 

“I’m Ellie,” she told him. 

Harry smiled at the pair. “Welcome home, Louis and Ellie,” he replied. 

“Thanks, but no…not home. I’m just here to settle the estate and then we’re gone,” Louis said. 

“To Maui,” Ellie piped up before sipping from her mug of hot chocolate. 

“You’re spending Christmas in Maui…” Harry said curiously. “That doesn’t seem very Christmassy. There’s no snow.” 

“Thus the basis of its appeal,” Louis said. Ellie nodded in agreement. 

“I guess…” Harry said, skeptically. 

Louis picked up the danish. “How is it working out for you…the bakery?” he asked him between bites. 

“It’s been going well,” Harry said proudly. “It used to be part of the diner…my Aunt Rose sold me the space a few years ago.” 

“This donut is very good,” Ellie said politely. 

“Thank you, sweetheart. What do you think of the hot chocolate? I added peppermint to it,” Harry said. 

She took another sip and gave him a thumbs up. 

“Great, I’ll add it to the menu for the Christmas Festival,” Harry said with an affirmative nod. 

“What’s the Christmas Festival?” Ellie asked. Her little nose was covered in whipped cream. Louis leaned over to wipe it off with a napkin. 

“For the two weeks leading up to Christmas, the whole town celebrates. There’s ice skating and a big craft market and the diner and bakery set up booths and sell treats,” Harry replied. 

“All for Christmas?” Ellie asked in confusion. He might as well have said they were all going to the moon. 

Harry nodded his head yes. “All for Christmas,” he told her. 

“Oh, wow. That’s different,” she said, using Louis’ term from the other day. 

“We aren’t really big into Christmas,” Louis explained. 

Harry laughed. “You will be by the time the 25th rolls around. I’ll leave you to it. Let me know if you need anything else,” he said. 

***

After they finished their breakfast they headed across the street to the general store. Louis loaded up on the basics…bread, eggs, milk. When they pulled back into driveway Liam and Avery were out on their front lawn. 

“Hi hi!” Avery said, waving excitedly at Ellie. 

“Hi, what are you doing?” Ellie asked as soon as she was close enough. 

“We’re decorating,” Avery explained, gesturing behind her with her hands. “Every year we decorate with cows.” 

“Why cows?” Ellie asked her. 

“Because we live in the 8th house…that means we’re in charge of eight maids a-milking,” Avery said. 

Ellie crinkled up her nose. “What are you talking about?” 

“The song…the 12 Days of Christmas. There are twelve houses on Pine Lane and each one decorates like the song,” Avery said. 

Ellie looked back at her father and Louis just shrugged. “Different,” he told her. 

“Do you want to help me build a snowman?” Avery asked her. 

“Oh, yes, please,” Ellie said. She turned to look at Louis. “Dad, is it okay?” she asked. 

“It’s okay with me if it’s okay with Liam,” Louis said. 

“It’s okay with me,” Liam replied, giving them a thumbs up. 

“Okay!” the girls chorused and set to work. 

“I see you got some groceries,” Liam said as he wound a strand of lights around his hand. 

“And I see you didn’t fall off a ladder,” Louis replied with a smirk. 

“I’m a pro at this,” Liam said with a chuckle. “One year I even won the Golden Wreath for best house on the block.” 

“I can’t argue with those results,” Louis said with a laugh. “I should get this stuff inside. Just send Ellie back over when you guys are going to eat lunch.” 

“You’re welcome to join us,” Liam offered. 

“Oh, it’s okay. Like I said…we have groceries now,” Louis reminded him. 

“The offer stands,” Liam said as he busied himself with cleaning up his tools. He certainly had the build of someone who did a lot of outdoor work Louis couldn’t help but admire. 

He shook his head and gathered up his groceries before heading into the house. After he put everything away Louis walked over to the living room and looked out the front window. Several of the neighbors were outside putting the finishing touches on their decorations. Even he had to admit five golden rings was quite impressive. 

Louis had forgotten how beautiful Evergreen was in the winter. He had always enjoyed the Christmas Festival when he was a kid. Something about the small town just made everything that much more magical. He and Ryan had made plans to visit after Ellie was born, but then he got sick and…he had never gotten better. 

Louis walked away from the window and sat down at the kitchen counter. He pulled out the checklist his grandmother had created. 

_Go ice skating_

_Build a snowman_

_Decorate a tree_

_Make apple cider_

He sighed and tucked the list back in his pocket before grabbing his iPad…he had a backlog of emails to answer. The next time he looked at the clock it was nearly an hour later. Liam said he didn’t mind having Ellie there, but he didn’t want her to overstay her welcome. 

He slipped on his jacket and trudged through the snow to Liam’s place. He really needed to shovel. He knocked on the front door while simultaneously pushing it open (a practice that was apparently contagious in Evergreen). “Hello?” 

“In here!” Liam called out. 

Louis kicked the snow off his boots and made his way into the living room. Liam was adding another log to the fireplace. “I lost track of time,” Louis said to him. “I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t even worry about it. I gave the girls lunch and now they’re out back putting the finishing touches on their snowman,” Liam said. “Snowperson…Avery’s a bit of a young feminist.” 

Louis chuckled. “You fed Ellie again? I definitely owe you one,” he said. “I’ll have to take you out to the diner before we leave.” 

Liam took a seat on the couch and gestured for Louis to join him. “Leaving already?” he asked. 

Louis sat down on the cushions. “Oh, I didn’t mean like immediately,” he said. 

“I’m assuming you’re selling the house,” Liam said. 

“That’s the plan,” Louis replied. “My grandma left instructions for a few things that needed to be taken care of in person before I put it on the market.” 

“Interesting,” Liam said to him. “Your grandma was particular…in a good way.” 

“Yeah…she was,” Louis said a bit wistfully. “Anyway…Ellie and I should get back home. Why don’t we have dinner together tomorrow? 5:00 at the diner?” 

Liam gave him a little salute (which Louis noticed seemed to be a dorky habit of his). “You don’t have to ask us twice,” he said. 

_The Third Day of Christmas- December 15, 2018_

Louis poked his head in Ellie’s room. “What are you doing, baby doll?” he asked. 

Ellie looked up from her iPad. “Playing a game…what are you doing?” she asked him. 

“Checking on yooou,” he said as he sat on the edge of the bed. “Do you want to have an adventure today?” 

Ellie put down her device and crawled over to him. “Yesssss,” she said eagerly. 

“Alright, get your coat on. We’re going to get a Christmas tree,” Louis told her. 

Her eyes lit up. “We are?” she said as she scooted off his lap. “Like Avery’s?” 

“Yes, we are…so get moving. We don’t want all the good ones to be gone,” he said. 

Ellie scurried down the hall and the stairs to retrieve her coat and boots. Louis followed her, shutting off the light behind him. 

***

The Christmas tree selection was mostly picked over…which wasn’t a surprise since the big day was about two weeks away, but there was still a decent variety. 

Ellie took in the greenery and then looked up at her father. “How do we pick one?” she asked. 

Louis knelt down next to her. “There’s a lot of criteria…color, size, shape, smell…” he ticked off. 

“Smell?!” Ellie giggled. 

“Oh, yeah…trees have a very special smell,” Louis said seriously. “Pines are the original air freshener.” 

Ellie immediately let go of his hand and shoved her little face into the nearest branch. “Ooo…I like how it smells!” 

Louis laughed. “Alright, don’t get carried away…we need to be able to fit the tree on top of the car and in the house,” he said. The tree she was currently infatuated with was at least two feet taller than their ceiling. 

“Oo kaaaay,” Ellie said as she skipped along, stopping and to sniff every tree. 

“How about this one…the color is nice…it’s round,” Louis said to her. It was green, full, and not too tall. 

Ellie made her way over to him. “Let me smell it!” she insisted. 

“What kind of monster did I create?” Louis groaned. 

“I love it!” Ellie declared, wrapping her arms around the tree. 

“Is this the one then, my love?” Louis asked with a smile. 

“Yes,” she said happily. 

Louis craned his neck, looking for the proprietor of the lot. “Does anyone look like they’re in charge, El?” he asked her. 

“Umm…” Ellie trailed off. “Maybe in the trailer?” 

“Let’s give it a try,” Louis said. He took her hand and they waded through the snow over to the silver Airstream. He raised his hand and knocked. 

“Guy who almost ran me over!” the man who opened the door greeted them. 

Louis knitted his brow as he looked at the guy. A light bulb of recognition went off. “Oh…when I pulled into town…I almost missed the STOP sign. That was you,” he said. “Sorry about that one. And it’s Louis, by the way.” 

“Well, Louis…no harm, no foul,” he said with a chuckle. “I’m Niall…are you here to buy a tree?” 

“How did you guess?” Louis asked in a teasing tone. 

“Luck of the Irish,” Niall replied with a wink. “Let me just get my saw and I’ll have you all fixed up.” 

“A saw?” Ellie squeaked. 

“Oh, hey…didn’t see you there, sweetheart,” Niall said as his gaze landed on Ellie. “I have to cut the tree down so you can take it home.” 

Ellie made a face. “Will it hurt?” she asked. 

Niall shook his head no. “Not one bit,” he assured her. “But when you get it into your house you have to promise me you’ll take care of it. Water it…sweep up the stray needles.” 

“Oh, I can do that. I’m very responsible,” she told him. 

“Good girl,” Niall said with a smile. He turned to Louis. “Which one do you have your eye on?” 

Louis nodded towards the lot. “Number ten,” he told him. 

Niall retrieved his saw and set off towards their tree. “Do you want to cut it down, sweetheart?” he asked her. 

“Oh! Can I?” Ellie asked a little too eagerly. 

“No, no you cannot,” Louis said quickly. “Stand behind me, okay?” 

“Aw, man,” Ellie said as she shuffled behind her father. 

Ten minutes and $75 later Louis and Ellie were on their way home with their very first Christmas tree. 

***

“Are you ever going to shovel the path?” Liam asked as Ellie and Louis stepped outside that night. 

“Nah, we like to live dangerously,” Louis said, lifting Ellie into his arms so she wouldn’t slip. 

“Do you want to ride over to the diner together?” Liam offered. 

“Yeah, I suppose that makes more sense,” Louis agreed. 

“Let me down, let me down,” Ellie said when she spotted Avery in the car. 

“Chill, girl,” Louis said with a laugh. He set Ellie on the ground. “Be careful,” he told her. He opened the door to his SUV to grab her seat. 

After everyone was buckled in Liam pulled out of the driveway and headed towards town. “Rebecca was looking for you,” Liam revealed. 

“She was? Fu…shoot,” Louis said, catching himself. Ellie cut him a look before resuming her conversation with Avery. 

“I told her I hadn’t seen you, but she’s not going to let up,” he said in a sing-song tone. 

Before Louis could reply Avery spoke up from the back. 

“Daddy, can we go ice skating tonight?” Avery asked. “Ellie’s never tried it.” 

“Oh, sweetheart…Ellie and her dad don’t do holiday stuff…” Liam started to say. 

“We’re in,” Louis cut him off before he could finish. 

“Yay!!” Ellie said and gave Avery a high five. 

Liam raised an eyebrow. “Change of heart?” he asked curiously. 

“Something like that,” Louis confirmed. 

“Nice,” Liam said with a smile. “Do you need some help?” he asked. 

“Help?” Louis replied. 

“With the Christmas Festival…I can be your like tour guide,” he offered. 

Louis smiled. “Cheers to that,” he said. Between his grandma’s list and Liam’s expertise, he’d have this holiday thing in the bag. 

***

“Hey, Liam…Avery…chainsaw girl…guy who almost ran me over with a car,” Niall greeted them as he approached the corner booth where the foursome was seated. 

Liam laughed. “You two know each other?” he asked. 

“It’s a long story,” Louis said with a wave of his hand. “I thought you worked at the tree lot.” 

“I’m a jack of all trades,” Niall said with a chuckle. “I hope you didn’t drive here tonight.” 

“I did,” Liam spoke up. 

He put his hand over his heart. “Thank God for small favors,” Niall replied. “What can I get for you guys?” 

“Avery and I will have our usual,” Liam said, handing him the menu. 

“Got it, chief,” Niall said before turning his attention to Louis. 

“Two burgers…two fries…and a chocolate milkshake for Ellie and just water for me,” Louis said. 

Niall tucked the menus under his arm. “Coming right up,” he said with a smile. 

“I always liked the burgers here,” Louis said to Liam. 

“I doubt the grill has been cleaned in the last decade…so the taste should be the same,” Liam said with a laugh. 

“It’s my lucky day,” Louis said with a laugh of his own. 

***

“Eeee!!!” Ellie squealed as Louis helped her onto the rink. “It’s so slippery!” 

Louis couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s ice, baby doll,” he replied. 

“Don’t let go of meeeee,” she begged him. 

“I promise I won’t,” Louis assured her as he glided forward, pulling her alongside him. 

“You know how to skate,” Liam remarked, a cross between shocked and impressed. 

“Yeah, I mean I haven’t done it in a long time, but it’s all coming back to me,” Louis said as he desperately tried to keep Ellie upright. Liam chuckled a little and took her other hand. 

“Thanks,” Ellie said as she let out a sigh of relief. 

After a few slow laps around the rink, Ellie felt confident enough to try skating on her own with Avery. Liam fell in alongside Louis. 

“So what’s next on your holiday to-do list?” Liam asked him. “I heard you got a tree.” 

“Word travels fast. I don’t even know what’s on tap for the Christmas Festival this year…you all need an app or something,” he replied. “Tree buying…check. Ice skating…check. Next up…caroling.” 

“Can you imagine?” Liam said with a shake of his head. “Well, today is Saturday…and the cookie exchange is Monday. So that means tomorrow is baking day.” 

“Hmm me and baking don’t go so good together,” Louis replied. He lost his footing as they rounded the corner. Liam deftly looped his arm through his and kept him upright. “Whoa…thanks,” he said to Liam. 

“No worries. And same about baking, but Harry is a star, obviously. I bet we could get him to help us,” Liam offered. 

“Isn’t that cheating?” Louis asked, all scandalized. 

Liam laughed. “It’s not a contest…just an exchange. What do you say…do you want to meet us at the bakery tomorrow morning?” he asked. 

“Yeah, it sounds like fun,” Louis said, surprised he actually meant it…and not minding that Liam kept his arm linked with his as they skated another lap. 

_The Fourth Day of Christmas- December 16, 2018_

“Daddy,” Ellie said to her father. 

Louis was kneeling on the floor, lacing up her boots. “Yes, baby doll?” he asked. 

“Our tree looks…sad,” she replied. 

“Oh,” Louis said as he started to work on her other set of laces. “That’s because we need to decorate it…put some lights on it…jazz it up.” 

“Do we have jazzy stuff?” Ellie asked him curiously. 

Louis laughed. “I’m sure there are boxes of decorations in storage. You could also make some of your own decorations,” he said. 

“Could Avery help me? Her tree is beautiful. She must be an expert,” Ellie reasoned. 

Louis smiled. “We can ask her today if she’ll share her expertise with us,” he said. 

“Cool,” she said. “I’m glad we got a tree this year.” 

Louis felt himself getting a little choked up. “Me too,” he said as he scooted in to give her a hug. 

“Ahhh, you’re squishing me!” she exclaimed. 

“Sorry, sorry…you’re just so darn cute,” Louis said as he released his grip on her. 

She hopped up to her feet. “I forgive you,” she said. “What kind of cookies are we going to make today?” 

“Kale,” he said to her as they made their way out the front door. 

A look of horror crossed her face. “Daddy! No!” she exclaimed. 

Louis laughed. “I’m just kidding…probably chocolate chip, sugar cookies…and I’m going to see if Harry knows how to make thumbprint cookies,” he said, naming Ryan’s favorite treat. 

Ellie rubbed her belly. “I’m already hungry,” she said to him. 

“Baby doll, you are always hungry,” he said through a laugh. 

***

“We’re heeeeere,” Louis announced as he walked into the bakery with Ellie in tow. 

“In the back!” Liam called out. 

Ellie pushed on the swinging door to the kitchen and made a beeline for Avery. 

“Ellie…say hello to Harry and Liam,” he said to her. 

“Hi, Harry…hi, Liam,” she said cheerfully as she shimmied out of her coat leaving it in a heap on the floor. 

“I swear she wasn’t raised in a barn,” Louis said as he picked up her coat. 

Harry and Liam laughed and chorused hello back as Avery explained the finer points of sugar cookie decorating to Ellie. 

Louis walked over to the counter and rolled up his sleeves. “What can I do to help?” he asked. 

“You can keep Liam far away from the oven…that’s what you can do,” Harry scowled. 

“I only burned the first batch,” Liam insisted. 

Harry held up his fingers in a peace sign to indicate two batches. 

Liam rolled his eyes as Louis settled in next to him. “Alright, besides babysitting…what can I do?” he asked. 

“There are fifteen families participating in the exchange and everyone is responsible for making three different kinds of cookies,” Harry said. 

“No one told me there was going to be math,” Louis groaned. 

Liam patted him on the shoulder sympathetically. “We have to make a dozen of three kinds of cookies…fifteen times over,” he explained. “We’ve narrowed it down to Harry’s famous sugar cookies and my favorite brownie cookies. But we need one more.” 

“Oh, do you know how to make thumbprint cookies?” Louis asked, almost shyly. 

“Ah, yes…a holiday classic,” Harry said with a smile. “We can do those for sure. I’ve always been partial to cherry.” 

“I was thinking strawberry,” Louis suggested. “If you have the ingredients.” 

“Let me check, but I think you’re in luck,” Harry said with a smile as he disappeared into the pantry. 

“Are those your favorite?” Liam asked him. 

Louis took a beat to answer. “A favorite of a special person,” he replied. 

“Yes! We have strawberry!” Harry shouted as he walked back into the kitchen holding a jar of preserves triumphantly. 

Louis was grateful for the interruption. “Give it here. I can start on those,” he said. “I think you better watch Liam yourself…he’s too wily for me.” 

Harry furrowed his brow. “What did you try to do?” he scolded him. 

A look crossed Liam’s face that could only be described as a wounded puppy. “I was just standing here,” he insisted. 

Louis scooted down a bit and found an empty patch of the counter to set up his workspace. He kept stealing glances at Ellie as he measured and mixed. She was clearly enjoying herself…alternating between decorating and eating. It warmed his heart to see her having so much fun. 

As the afternoon wore on everyone’s high energy started to wean. Fifteen sets of a dozen of three types of cookies was…a lot. 

“Why don’t we turn on some music?” Liam suggested. He fished his phone out of his pocket and selected a Christmas playlist from Spotify. 

“Oh, my favorite!” Avery exclaimed as Jinglebell Rock filled the kitchen. She took Ellie’s hand and they started to jump around. 

“Do you want to dance?” Liam asked Louis. 

“Me?” Louis said in confusion. 

“I promise I’m a much better dancer than baker,” Liam said, offering his hand. 

It had been a long time since he danced. Louis chuckled, suddenly feeling a little flushed and not just from the heat radiating out of the oven. “Alright then,” he said and gave up his hand. 

Liam spun him around and Louis laughed as the girls tried to mimic Liam’s moves. 

“Are you having a dance party without me?” Harry asked as he walked back into the kitchen. 

“Dance with us,” Ellie said and offered her hand to him. 

Jinglebell Rock turned into All I Want for Christmas is You which turned into Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays. 

And then the next sound…was the smoke alarm. 

“Liam!!” Harry exclaimed as he rushed over to the oven. 

“Seriously! How was that my fault?” Liam whined. “I am literally ten feet away from the oven!” 

***

Louis insisted he was too tired to cook that night. Liam agreed, so they grabbed carry out from the diner and settled in at Louis’ place for dinner. 

“Your tree is a little…lacking,” Liam commented. 

“Jeehz, don’t hold back,” Louis said with a snort. “But, yeah…” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “About that…”

“Daddy says we have jazzy stuff to make it better, but maybe you could help us too?” Ellie asked. 

“We can help, right?” Avery asked hopefully. 

Liam smiled. “Of course we can,” he said to them. “There’s an ornament making station at the festival. We could go there next week.” 

“Yes!” Ellie exclaimed and gave Avery a high five. 

“Thank you,” Louis said to Liam over the din of the girls’ chatter. 

“It’s no problem. It’s fun hanging out with you guys,” Liam replied. “Besides…what kind of Christmas guide would I be if I let you have a crummy tree?” 

“About on par with your baking skills?” Louis teased. 

Liam opened his mouth and huffed, “Hey now…uncalled for.” 

Louis held up his hands. “Sorry, sorry,” he replied. “Okay, so we have a tree…which you will help us decorate. We did ice skating…and cookie baking. What’s next?” 

“You still have to decorate outside. If you think Rebecca forgot…you are wrong,” Liam said. “And I can only hold her off for so long.” 

Louis stomach twisted into a knot. “I can’t imagine my grandma was doing much decorating. Did Rebecca harp on her?” he asked. 

“Your grandma was a hardcore Evergreen-ian,” Liam said seriously. “Of course she did six geese a-layin'.” 

“But how?” Louis asked, trying not to laugh at Liam’s tone. 

“I helped her…” Liam replied. 

“Liam Payne…rescuing Tomlinsons in distress since 2015,” he snickered. 

“So what do you say?” Liam asked him. “I’m sure her decorations are still in storage along with your jazzy tree décor.” 

Louis tried to think of another item on the list. “Can’t we just make apple cider instead?” he asked. 

_The Fifth Day of Christmas- December 17, 2018_

“He’s making a list…and checking it twice,” Louis sang to himself as he ticked off more boxes on his grandma’s list. 

“Daddy, what are you doing?” Ellie asked as she came downstairs for breakfast. 

“Huh? Oh, nothing, my love,” he said, tucking the piece of paper into his pocket. “Did you have a nice sleep?” 

“Yes, but I ran out of sleep so here I am,” she told him. 

“Here you are,” Louis echoed. “What do you want for breakfast?” 

“No breakfast today,” Ellie replied as she attempted to climb onto the stool beside her father. 

“Need a hand?” he asked with a chuckle as he gave her a boost. 

“Thanks, Daddy,” she said. 

He leaned his elbow on the counter and rested his cheek on his hand. “What’s this about no breakfast?” he asked. 

“Today is cookie day, right?” she asked him. 

“Yes, it’s the cookie exchange,” he confirmed. 

“So I need to save room in my tummy for cookies,” she said in a duh tone (a tone he had hoped she wouldn’t adopt for at least another ten years). 

“You need to eat something besides cookies today,” Louis said to her. “Like protein and other…stuff.” 

“But I don’t want to be too full for cookies,” she protested. 

“I promise you won’t be too full,” he replied. “Let’s do some eggs…nice and light.” 

“Fineeeee,” she said and dramatically face planted into the counter. 

“Maybe you need to go back to bed,” he said, reaching out to tickle her side. 

Ellie giggled and peeked up at him. “Nooooo. I wanna do Christmas stuff,” she said. 

Louis smoothed some hair away from her face. “Do you like doing this kind of stuff?” he asked her. 

She vigorously nodded her head yes. “It’s so much fun. Why haven’t we ever done it before?” she asked. 

He bit on his lip. “Your other daddy really loved Christmas. He always wanted the biggest tree and the brightest lights. Our house used to look a lot like Liam’s,” he told her. 

“For serious?” she asked in disbelief. 

“For serious,” he told her. “But after he went to heaven I missed him a lot and the Christmas things we used to do together made me sad.” 

“Oh,” she said, frowning a little bit. “I don’t want you to be sad.” 

“You’re very sweet,” he said and kissed her forehead. “But now that we’re here and celebrating together it makes me happy. I’m sorry we didn’t do these things before.” 

“It’s okay,” she told him. “I’m glad we’re doing them now.” 

“Me too,” he replied. 

“And I’m glad we’re doing them with Liam and Avery,” she added. 

Louis raised an eyebrow. “Oh…you are?” he asked. 

“Mmhmm,” she confirmed. “Avery is cool and Liam makes you smile.” 

“He does?” Louis asked her, feeling a little bit of a flutter in his stomach. 

“Duh,” she said with a cheshire grin. 

***

Liam and Louis were camped out in a corner of Town Hall. The cookie exchange was in full force. Harry, Avery, and Ellie were passing out their goods while Niall went table to table collecting for their group. 

“These are from Kevin Sawyer’s family,” Niall said as he dropped three plates of cookies on the table. “I wouldn’t eat them if I were you,” he added before darting off to continue on his mission. 

“What’s wrong with Kevin Sawyer?” Louis asked as he reached for an innocuous-looking chocolate chip cookie and took a bite. 

“Kev is a bit of a prankster,” Liam replied. 

“Hot, hot…” Louis sputtered, fanning his mouth with his hand. “This cookie is hot.” 

Liam broke off a piece and sniffed it. “Cayenne pepper,” he concluded. 

“Help me!” Louis exclaimed, bouncing up and down in his seat. 

Liam laughed and pushed a glass of milk towards Louis. “Drink that,” he instructed him. 

Louis took a huge gulp of milk and then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. 

“You should always listen to Niall,” Liam said solemnly. 

Louis just nodded his head and took another sip. 

“We’re all out of cookies!” Ellie said as she ran over to the table a few minutes later. 

“Did you eat all of them?” Louis asked, poking at her belly. 

“No! We gave them away…like Santa’s elves,” she explained to him. 

“That’s awesome,” he said to her. “I bet you made a lot of people happy.” 

“Are those all for us?” Avery asked, staring at the spread that lay before her. 

Liam gently lowered her hand from the nearest plate. “Those are for all of us to share,” he explained. 

“But I can have a little taste now…right?” Avery said with a smile. 

“I don’t know…you said you were too full to eat your green beans and now you have room for cookies?” Liam asked skeptically. 

Avery sported her best pouty face. “Dadddddd…” she groaned. 

“Okay, just a little taste,” Liam relented. He settled her in his lap so she could pick out a treat. 

Louis smiled. Liam was so sweet with his daughter. 

“Wait!” Niall interrupted, setting down the last of the plates. “Okay, now we have all the options. Choose wisely.” 

Ellie climbed into the chair next to her father and peered at the plates. “Can I have that one?” she asked and pointed to the thumbprint cookies Louis had made. 

Louis smiled a little. “You want that one?” he asked. 

She nodded her head and held out her hand. 

Louis carefully put the cookie on a cocktail napkin and handed it to her. “There you go,” he said. 

“Mmm,” Ellie said after taking a bite. Louis’ heart constricted a bit in his chest. She looked so much like Ryan. 

“Alright, sugar babies,” Liam said clapping his hands together and bringing Louis back into the present. “We have a mission.” 

Avery took a big sip of her milk. “We do?” she asked. 

“Louis and Ellie need help decorating their Christmas tree,” Liam said. “Av, are you up for the challenge?” 

“Yes, I can help. I’m good at it,” she said seriously. 

“Great,” Liam said. “Louis says they have decorations of their own, but we need to help them make some of their own.” 

“I can do that too,” Avery said quickly as if someone was going to beat her to the punch. 

“We should head over to the festival tomorrow,” Liam suggested. “We can make some ornaments there to start.” 

Ellie and Avery both scrambled to their feet and were nearly halfway to the door before Liam and Louis even had time to stand up. 

“He said tomorrow! Not today! Girls! Don’t you dare go outside without your coats on!” Louis shouted. 

_The Sixth Day of Christmas- December 18, 2018_

Ellie held up something that resembled a reindeer but was so saturated in glitter it was hard to tell. “Isn’t it beautiful?” she asked. 

“You’re smashing this ornament thing, baby doll,” Louis said, holding up his hand for a high five. 

Ellie smiled and slapped his hand before returning to her crafting. The decoration station at the Christmas Festival was full of construction paper, glue, and most importantly sparkles. 

“And what do we have here?” Louis asked, leaning over to inspect Liam’s handiwork. 

“I feel really inspired by nature,” Liam explained. “So I’m making a star out of some twigs.” 

“I didn’t realize you were so zen,” Louis said as he returned to work on his beach-themed Santa cut out. 

“Damn, Santa’s got some abs,” Liam whistled. 

“He has all year to get in shape, right?” Louis laughed as he colored on some swim trunks. 

“He does only have one cheat day a year. Are you having fun?” Liam asked him. 

“I am. And Ellie is too,” Louis confirmed, smiling over at him. “Thanks for suggesting this.” 

“No problem,” Liam said. “When do you want to trim your tree?” 

“Liam! Did you just come on to me?” Louis asked with a laugh. 

Liam turned beet red. “I didn’t mean…” he stammered. 

“I’m just kidding,” Louis said, patting him on the back. “Breathe.” 

Liam inhaled and exhaled before replying, “Sorry…that caught me off guard,” he said sheepishly. 

“No worries,” Louis assured him. “It’s not the first time a guy has hit on me.” 

Liam raised an eyebrow and lowered his voice. “Are you…gay?” he asked him. 

“I am,” Louis confirmed. “You mentioned an ex-husband so…”

“I’m bi, but yeah…my ex is a guy,” Liam replied. “I guess I assumed Ellie had a mother somewhere…”

Louis knew this moment was coming. He was going to have to explain what happened to Ryan. He just wished it wasn’t in the middle of Christmas central. 

“No, no mother. Her father actually…” Louis started to say. 

“Louis Tomlinson! I thought I’d never track you down!” Rebecca McGill said as she approached the table. 

“Oh, fuck…” Louis muttered. 

“Daddy! No swearing!” Ellie scolded him. “Especially at Christmas!” 

“How are you, honey?” Rebecca asked, leaning down to give him a hug. “We were all so sorry about your grandmother.” 

“Thanks,” he said as he awkwardly returned the embrace. 

“It’s nice to see you back in Evergreen, though,” she said as she took a step back. “How are the decorations coming for the house? The walk is almost here.” 

Yeah, she still had NO tact. 

“Right…” Louis said, rubbing the back of his neck. “About that…”

“We’re going to do it on Thursday,” Liam cut in. 

“That’s cutting it awfully close,” Rebecca tsked. 

“It’ll be done in time,” Liam assured her. 

“Rebecca!” another Evergreen resident called from the other side of the room. “I need your expertise!” 

“Coming, Frank!” she called out. “I’m keeping my eyes on you two,” she said as she backed away. 

Liam snorted. “That was ominous,” he said. 

“I’ve never felt so violated,” Louis said with a shudder. 

“Umm, Daddy…I think I’m stuck,” Ellie said. 

He turned to look at his daughter, who had somehow managed to glue her hair to the table. 

“I think it’s time to head home,” Liam declared, trying to stifle a laugh. 

***

Liam blew some dust off the top of a box. “It’s a little grimy in here,” he said through a cough. 

Louis lifted the collar of his shirt and covered his mouth and nose. He took a breath through the cotton. “Let’s just take what we need and get out of here,” he said. 

The pair were inside Elizabeth’s storage shed trying to find her boxes of ornaments. 

“Can you grab that one?” Louis asked, pointing to a red tote. 

“Got it,” Liam said. As he reached up for the box the bottom of his shirt lifted a little exposing a sliver of his stomach. Beach Santa’s abs had nothing on Liam. Louis quickly averted his eyes. 

“I got this one,” he said indicating a green tote. “I think that’s enough to start.” 

“Alright, I’ll meet you inside. I want to see if I can find the outdoor decorations for the walk,” Liam said. 

“Suit yourself,” he said as he heaved the container out of the shed. 

“Do you have the stuff?” Ellie asked her father once he was inside. She and Avery had been hard at work trimming the tree with the ornaments they had crafted at the festival. 

“Nope, this is full of coal,” Louis teased them. 

“Coal? Were we bad?” Avery asked him with a frown. 

“It’s the ornaments,” he assured her. He set the tote down and peeled off the lid, exposing all kinds of shiny baubles.v 

“Beautiful…” Ellie whispered and delicately touched a silver bell. 

“Be careful…some of these are very old,” Louis said to them. 

The girls nodded their heads solemnly. “Will you help us? We can’t reach very high,” Avery said to him. 

“I can do that,” Louis said as he picked up a plaid bow to hang near the top of the tree. 

When Liam walked back in he found the trio covering every inch of the greenery with Christmas cheer. 

“That looks amazing,” he said as he set down a few more boxes. 

“Oh, hey…you didn’t develop asthma in there, did you?” Louis asked with a chuckle. “Because I don’t know if homeowners insurance covers that.” 

“Nah, just a mild case of black lung…I’ll be fine in a day or two,” Liam joked. 

Louis laughed as he took a seat on the couch. “I forgot how tiring this could be,” he said. 

Liam settled on the cushion next to him. “Yeah, but it’s worth it. Christmas decorations just make me feel…cozy,” he said. 

“Did you find the stuff for outside?” Louis asked him. 

“Yep,” Liam said, popping the P. “Are you going to let me put it up?” he asked. 

Louis felt a weird stirring in his stomach. On one hand, he wanted to honor his grandmother’s request, but on the other doing such a public display felt disrespectful to his feelings. 

“Louis?” Liam said. 

He looked over at the girls decorating the tree. “Maybe…but not today. We’ve done enough,” he said. 

_The Seventh Day of Christmas- December 19, 2018_

“I cannot believe you talked me into this,” Louis said as he followed Liam into the local watering hole. 

“You said you wanted to do all the Christmas activities Evergreen had to offer,” Liam pointed out. 

Harry and Niall were already seated at a small round table. Harry waved them over. “Yeah, for Ellie’s sake. She can’t exactly do karaoke at a bar,” Louis said. 

“Ellie, Avery, and Megan need some girl time…and we need some guy time,” Liam pointed out. 

“Hello, fellas,” Niall greeted them. 

“Have a seat…they’re just about to get started,” Harry said. “We ordered for you.” 

“Thanks,” Louis said as he shrugged out of his coat. He sat down and took a sip of the beer in front of him. 

“When do we go on?” Liam asked. 

“Wait…we’re singing? I thought we were just watching,” Louis protested. 

“Yep, we’re gonna do Last Christmas,” Harry said with a smile. 

“Excellent,” Liam said, taking the seat next to Louis. 

“I am not getting up there and making a fool of myself,” Louis insisted. 

“It’ll be fuuuuun,” Niall said. “And everyone will be too drunk to know if you’re acting a fool or not.” 

“Fine,” Louis said, crossing his arms over his chest. “But I’m not going to enjoy it.” 

“Drink some more…it’ll make you less grumpy,” Harry encouraged him. 

Louis was about to say something smart, but the music started up as the first victim of the night hit the stage. 

Niall was right…as the night went on everyone got so drunk they thought they were David Bowie up there. It was quite entertaining. 

Harry slid off the stool and to his feet. “We’re on deck,” he announced. 

“I’ll just hold our table,” Louis said. 

“You are not getting off that easy,” Liam replied, tugging on his arm. 

“Please hold your applause,” Harry said to the crowd as they made their way onto the stage. 

The opening chords of the Wham! classic filled the bar. 

“Last Christmas, I gave you my heart,” Harry sang into the microphone. 

Niall was next. “But the very next day…you gave it away.” 

“This year, to save me from tears,” Liam sang. 

Louis finished the first verse. “I’ll give it to someone special.” 

Thankfully Louis was tipsy enough that the song went by in a blur. Harry was quite a showman so the crowd mostly focused on him. 

After congratulating each other on a job well done Liam and Louis decided to call it a night. Niall called them old dads and…he wasn’t wrong. 

“Do you want to come inside for a little bit?” Louis asked when they got out of the SUV. 

“Yeah, sure…I’m not quite ready to go to bed yet,” Liam said as he followed Louis up the clear path. “You finally shoveled.” 

“Finally,” Louis said as he unlocked the front door. “Though I’ll miss our witty banter about the topic I was afraid I’d break my neck one of these mornings.” 

“That would be a shame. I like your company,” Liam replied as he stepped inside. 

“You better not get used to it…we’re only going to be here for another week,” Louis said as he shrugged out of his coat and boots. 

“You know what?” Liam said as he peeled his own coat away. 

“What’s that?” Louis asked him. 

“It kind of feels like you and Ellie have always been here,” Liam revealed. 

“Oh…” Louis said softly. 

“Sorry,” Liam apologized. “That was probably a weird thing to say.” 

Louis looked over at him. “No, it was nice,” he said before turning and walking into the living room. 

“Good,” Liam said as he followed him before taking a seat on the couch. 

Louis turned on the lights on the tree. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had a tree…” he remarked. 

“Is it because of your husband…” Liam asked. 

“Pardon?” Louis asked him, taken aback. 

“The other day I overheard Ellie and Avery talking. Ellie mentioned that her dad is in heaven…” he said. 

“She did? Oh. I didn’t realize,” Louis said softly. Between the alcohol and the talk about Ryan, he felt a little woozy. He slowly sat down in the closest chair. 

“I’m sorry…I shouldn’t have brought it up,” Liam said. 

“No…it’s okay. I mean, it’s not a secret,” Louis said. “My husband…Ryan…he passed away not long after Ellie was born.” 

“I’m so sorry…that must have been awful,” Liam said sympathetically. 

“It was…pain like you couldn’t imagine,” Louis said softly. “We had been together since college…married since we graduated…I was pregnant…and everything was great. Then about a month after Ellie was born he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.” 

“Oh, no…” Liam said softly. 

“He was gone by that winter,” Louis said softly. “If it wasn’t for Ellie I don’t know if I would have survived.” 

Liam reached over to squeeze his hand gently. “You’ve done an amazing job with her,” he said. 

“Thank you…she’s everything to me,” he said as he squeezed back. “You were right…after I lost him the holidays suddenly didn’t feel so special anymore.” 

“Christmas can be hard even in the best of circumstances,” Liam said. 

“That’s why we never had a tree and never came back here to visit. That’s why we always go someplace warm. I feel like if I enjoy myself too much I’m forgetting him,” he said softly. 

“That’s not true…I mean I understand what you’re feeling, but I don’t think he’d want you to give up on all the joys in life,” Liam replied. 

Louis wiped the corner of his eyes with his fingertips. “I know…it’s just hard,” he said. 

“You seem to be doing okay this year. You’re doing some traditional things with Ellie,” Liam pointed out. 

“It’s different this year,” Louis said, stopping short of revealing the list. “Something about being in Evergreen, I guess.” 

“I’m glad you’re here…and I’m glad you’re healing,” Liam said to him. 

Louis took a deep breath. “A big part of that is because of you,” he revealed. “You and your daughter have made us feel so welcome. It’s nice to be a part of something again.” 

“That’s how I feel too,” Liam said softly. “You fit in so well…it’s kind of scary…”

“I feel scared too,” Louis whispered, all the little things he had felt about Liam lately suddenly felt very big. 

“Maybe that’s a good thing, though,” Liam said to him. “Most good things in life make you feel a little scared at first.” 

Louis licked his lips and leaned in towards him. Liam swallowed and tilted his head. Just before their lips touched. Liam’s cell phone rang, breaking the spell. 

“Jeehz! It’s Megan…” he said and quickly answered. “Hi, everything okay? Oh, yeah…good. Of course I trust you. Mmhmm…I’ll be home in a few minutes,” he said before ending the call. 

Louis scooted back a little bit. “Everything alright?” he asked. 

“Yeah, yeah,” he said, tucking his phone in his pocket and pushing himself up to his feet. “I should probably get home, though.” 

“Right…it’s late,” Louis said, suddenly VERY aware of what they had almost just done. “I’ll come pick Ellie up in the morning, yeah?” 

“Yes, sounds good. I will…see you then,” Liam confirmed. 

“Let me walk you to the door,” Louis said. 

“Great, yes…” Liam said as he stepped towards the foyer. He grabbed his coat off the hook on the wall. 

“Tonight was fun. Thank you for asking me along,” Louis said to him. 

Liam smiled and leaned over to peck his cheek. “My pleasure. Good night, Louis,” he said. 

“Good night,” he echoed before Liam walked outside. 

Louis closed the door before pressing his back against it. His heart was beating out of his chest as he raised his palm to his cheek. 

Being back in Evergreen was waking up a part of him that had been dormant for a long time. 

_The Eighth Day of Christmas- December 20, 2018_

“I’ll race you to the top!” Liam said as he took off up the hill, his sled tucked under his arm. 

“You just raced me to the bottom!” Louis called after him as he tried to catch up. Liam wasn’t that much taller than him but his stride was a lot longer. 

When Louis went over to pick up Ellie the next morning he pushed down all his feelings from the night before. He wasn’t going to be in Evergreen much longer and he didn’t want to make the rest of his time there awkward. 

“Yes!” Liam said pumping his fist when he reached the peak. 

“That’s not…fair…” Louis huffed. “You got a head start.” 

“Race you to the bottom!” Liam said as he set his sled on the ground. 

“No! No!” Louis said, tackling him from behind. They both hit the ground with a thud. 

Liam laughed. “What are you doing?” he asked. 

“Trying to subdue a madman,” Louis said with a laugh as he rolled over onto his back. 

“I really like sledding,” Liam replied. 

“Nooo, you?” Louis teased him. 

Ellie suddenly materialized in front of him…all pink-cheeked and bright eyed. “Are you okay? Did you fall?” she asked. 

“We’re fine, my love,” Louis assured her as he sat up. 

“Will you go down the hill with me?” she asked him. 

“Of course I will,” Louis said. He scooted his butt onto the sled and reached for his daughter. She settled into his lap. “Liam, can you give us a push?” 

Liam scrambled to his feet and positioned himself behind them. “Okay, on the count of three…1…2…3…”

“Hang on tight!” he said to Ellie as they set off down the hill. 

“Eeee! Eeee!!” she squealed in delight as the trees whizzed by. 

Louis held onto her middle so she wouldn’t fall off when they landed at the bottom. The sled skidded to a stop. 

“That was so cool! Let’s do it again!” Ellie said, clapping her hands together. 

She was already halfway up the hill before he was even on his feet. “I’m so old,” he lamented to himself. 

“Louis?” Avery spoke up. 

He turned to his right. He didn’t realize she was there. “What’s up, Av?” he asked her. 

“Will you help me? This is heavy,” she said, holding up her neon pink saucer. 

“Give it here,” he said to her and took the plastic slider from her hand. 

“Thanks,” she said, coughing a little a bit. 

Louis frowned. “Are you feeling okay?” he asked her. 

“My stomach is kinda…” Avery started to say…before she promptly threw up on his boots. 

Louis abandoned the sled and saucer and got down on his knees. “Oh, honey…” he said softly as she started to cry. 

“I’m sorry,” she whimpered. 

Louis wrapped his arm around her and pushed her hair out of her face. “It’s okay. You’re okay…” he cooed. 

Avery snuggled in against his side. “Can we go home?” she sniffled. 

“Yeah, definitely. Let’s go find your dad,” he replied. 

She clung to him tighter. “Don’t leave me, okay?” she said. 

Louis managed to hold onto her and somehow get up to his feet. “I won’t leave you,” he said. 

Luckily Liam slid by because Louis had no idea how he would have gotten Avery and all their gear up the hill on his own. 

“Hey! Av’s not feeling too hot,” Louis said to him. 

Liam’s brow creased. “What’s wrong, pumpkin?” he asked her. 

“My tummy…” she sniffled. Liam reached for her, but she stayed curled up with Louis. 

“I got her,” Louis assured him. “Why don’t you go pull the car around? Where’s El?” 

“She just slid down. I’ll meet you in the parking lot,” he said before taking off. 

“I’m right here!” Ellie replied, running out from behind Liam. “Is Avery okay?” 

“Yeah, she’s fine,” Louis said. “El, be a good helper and lead us to the car.” 

Ellie got ahead, dragging her sled behind her, and guided them to a waiting Liam. 

Louis shifted Avery into her car seat and buckled her. Liam leaned down to kiss Avery’s forehead. “She’s a little warm,” he said. 

Louis patted him on the back. “It’s probably just a 24-hour thing,” he assured him. “Let’s get her home. Ellie, get in your seat…Ellie?” he asked. 

“Daddy, I don’t…” she mumbled. 

Now Louis’ boots were covered in a second layer of vomit. 

***

Louis and Liam decided to contain the situation and just keep the girls together. They couldn’t get each other sicker and it would be easier to take care of them if they worked as a team. 

“I forgot how much I hate sick kids,” Louis said as he flopped onto Liam’s couch that night. 

“Oh, come on…there’s the vomit…the struggle to get them to take medicine…the struggle to keep them hydrated…the tears…the vomit…” Liam ticked off. He handed him a glass of wine before taking a seat next to him. “This will help dull the pain.” 

“Thanks,” he said, raising his glass before taking a sip. 

“I’m sorry Avery threw up on you,” Liam apologized. 

“Poor thing. She was so upset,” Louis said sympathetically. 

“I was actually kind of surprised she went right for you,” Liam said. “She’s such a daddy’s girl.” 

“Oh, I guess I was the closest adult?” Louis reasoned, swirling the wine around in his glass. 

“I didn’t mean anything bad by it…it was just nice to see her open up to someone else,” Liam said. “My ex is hardly around so…it’s really just me and her.” 

“What happened…if you don’t mind…” Louis asked him. 

Liam looked at his half-filled wine glass. “I’m going to need a refill if you want to hear that story,” he joked. “No…we were too different. Our whole relationship was a whirlwind and he got pregnant like…right after we started dating…and then we rushed to get married and…it all fell apart really fast.” 

“I’m sorry,” Louis said, resting his hand on top of his. 

“It’s okay…it’s better this way. Except that Avery hardly sees him…which I don’t mind because it’s not like he adds much to her life, but I also hate that they’re strangers? It’s complicated,” he said with a sigh. 

“Well, in my humble opinion you are doing a great job with her. She’s a good kid,” Louis replied. 

Liam smiled. “Thank you…that means a lot,” he said. 

Louis’ mind flashed to the almost kiss the night before. Just as he opened his mouth to say something…

“Daddy!!” Ellie called from upstairs. 

Duty calls. 

_The Ninth Day of Christmas- December 21, 2018_

By the next evening, the girls were back to their old selves. Louis tried to protest that they should take it easy and stay in, but the snowman building contest was that night and apparently it was not to be missed. 

Avery and Ellie wanted to work together so they signed up as a team of four. 

“This looks intense…” Louis murmured as he looked around Town Square. Groups of people were clustered together unloading bags of scarves and hats and all kinds of snowman accessories. He thought he even spotted a carrot painted gold. 

“We have no chance of actually winning,” Liam whispered against his ear. 

Louis tried to push down the little thrill that went up his spine when he felt Liam’s breath. “No?” he asked. 

“Every year Kevin Sawyer and Jessie Abernat try to come up with the most elaborate snowman and either one of them or both of them win because the judges are…for lack of a better term…scared shitless of what they’ll do if they don’t,” Liam said softly. 

Louis snorted a laugh. “And I thought Chicago was corrupt,” he said. 

“The best we can do is hope the girls are cute enough to get us free hot chocolate,” Liam said. 

“Oh, I am not taking this lying down,” Louis said and clapped his hands together. “Girls…”

Avery and Ellie turned to look at him. 

“This is serious Christmas business…we’ve got free hot chocolate on the line…so let’s get started,” he told them. 

The girls cheered and high fived Louis before they got to work. 

“We can get hot chocolate for free whenever…I work at the bakery…” Liam mumbled to himself. 

***

“In third place…” Rebecca said into the microphone. “…with the prize of an angel tree topper…Jessie Abernat!” 

Jessie scowled at Kevin as she walked up onto the stage to accept her award. 

“Ouch,” Louis murmured under his breath. “Then again I’d be mad if I got an angel tree topper.” 

“Everyone knows you put a star on top of the tree,” Liam said in agreement. 

Louis smiled to himself as Rebecca continued. 

“In second place…Avery Payne and Ellie Tomlinson!” she announced. 

Louis jumped up and raised his palms so they could all high five. The girls ran onto the stage to accept their certificates for free hot chocolate at the bakery. 

Liam stuck his fingers in his mouth and let out a piercing whistle. 

“That’s my girls!” Louis cheered alongside him, resisting the urge to stick out his tongue at Jessie. 

After the certificates had been presented Rebecca held up the microphone. “And tonight’s snowman building champion is…Kevin Sawyer!” 

Kevin ran up the stairs to the stage like he was Rocky. He gave Rebecca a hug, lifting her off the ground, before triumphantly holding up his golden trophy above his head. 

“Boooo,” Louis said under his breath. “We’ll get him next year.” 

Liam raised an eyebrow. “Next year?” he replied. 

Louis didn’t know what to say. Obviously they wouldn’t be back in Evergreen next Christmas. He was going to sell the house…

“Okay, just a little bit of business, everyone,” Rebecca said once Kevin left the stage. “We are nearing the end of our Christmas Festival. Tomorrow we have the craft market open all day and a gift wrap a thon inside Town Hall. On Sunday there’s a visit from Santa and the town potluck in the evening. And then on Monday, we have the highlight of our festival…The 12 Days of Christmas Eve Walk down Pine Lane…I hope to see you all there!” 

“Daddy, take a picture of us,” Ellie said as she and Avery posed by their award-winning snowman. 

“You got it, babydoll,” Louis said as he pulled out his phone. He took a bunch of snapshots of the girls. 

“I wanna take a picture with all of us,” Ellie said. 

“Oh, yeah…definitely,” Liam replied. “Get around the snowman.” The foursome crowded in and Liam held out his camera. “Snowman selfie!” he said as he snapped the picture. 

Louis suddenly started to feel a little overwhelmed. There were only a few days left until Christmas. Only a few days until they left Evergreen. “Hey, El…we should get home,” he said. 

“Don’t you want to cash in our winnings?” Liam asked, looking over at him. 

Louis shook his head. “Not tonight…I should probably get Ellie to bed. I don’t want a relapse,” he said. 

Liam gave him a quizzical look but nodded his head. “Yeah, good point. See you tomorrow?” he asked him. 

“Yeah, for sure,” Louis said. “El, come on…we’re going home.” 

Ellie frowned. “Already?” she asked him. 

“It’s late and you need to get some sleep,” Louis said and held out his hand. 

“Bye Av…Bye Liam,” she said glumly as walked over to her father. 

“Good night,” Liam said and Avery echoed. 

Louis scooped her up as they walked to the car. The ride home was filled with Ellie chattering about the events of the evening, but his mind wasn’t focused on what she was saying. After he pulled into the driveway he helped her out of her seat and carried her inside. 

“Did you hear me?” she asked him. 

“What’s that, my love?” he asked as he unlocked the door. 

“I asked when we’re going to decorate outside. It’s almost time for the walk,” she explained, sounding like a mini-Rebecca. 

“Oh,” Louis said distractedly. He set her down once they were inside. “I’m not sure.” 

“But we have to! We can’t be the only house. We can’t ruin it!” she exclaimed. 

“Hey, shh shh…chill,” he said to her. “Let me worry about it.” 

“Liam will help us…he said he would help us…he said he doesn’t mind,” Ellie explained. 

Louis looked down at her. “Get upstairs…change into your pjs and brush your teeth,” he said. 

“Daddy, you’re not listening to meeeee,” Ellie whined. 

Louis took a breath. “I am listening to you, El. But we’re not going to talk about it right now. Please go upstairs and do what I asked,” he said. 

Ellie scrunched up her face before going upstairs in a huff. Louis took his time removing his boots and coat. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Christmas tree in the living room. He had a flash of the year he and Ryan decorated a tree together for the first time. It was like a stab to the gut. He sat down at the bottom of the stairs and put his face in his hands. 

“Get a grip,” he whispered to himself. “You’re not doing anything wrong.” 

“Daddy! Will you read me a story?” Ellie called from her bedroom. Clearly she was over being annoyed with him. 

“Be right there!” Louis called back. 

He got up and walked into the living room. He found the switch for the lights on the tree and turned it off before going upstairs. 

_The Tenth Day of Christmas- December 22, 2018_

Louis was sitting at the kitchen counter looking at the list his grandma had left for him. He had ticked off more than half the boxes. 

The unmarked box next to Decorate for the Walk seemed to be mocking him. 

A knock at the back door interrupted his thoughts. He shoved the paper into his pocket and went to see who was at the door. 

“Hey,” Liam said, waving at him through the window. 

Louis unlocked the door and let him inside. “Good morning,” he said. “Do you want some coffee?” he asked. 

Liam held up his hand, revealing two cups of coffee and what appeared to be a bag of sweets from the bakery. “I came prepared. There’s a donut in there for Ellie if she’s feeling up to it,” he said. 

“Thanks,” he said and took the goodies from Liam so he could take his coat off. “Yeah, she’s fine…sorry if I got a little fussy last night. I just worry about her.” 

“It’s all good,” Liam assured him. He took off his hat and ran his fingers through his still damp hair. “I’m the same way.” 

“Where’s your better half?” Louis asked, reclaiming his seat at the counter. 

“Av? I left her at home…I wanted her to experience Home Alone for real,” he joked. “Megan is in town…for the holidays…so she’s with her,” he clarified. 

“Cool, cool,” Louis replied with a nod. He took a sip of his caffeinated drink. “Mmm thanks…much better than the slop I’ve been making.” 

“No worries,” Liam said. “So listen…you can totally say no, but I wanted to ask you something.” 

Louis picked up the bakery bag and started to root through it. “What’s that?” he asked him. 

“I know you and Ellie do your own Christmas thing,” Liam said. “But if you’d like to spend Christmas Eve with us you are more than welcome.” 

Louis imagined what Christmas Eve was like with the Paynes. A turkey in the oven…twinkling lights bouncing off the tree branches…silly party games…and probably some carols. 

It was exactly what the holidays should be. Good food…family together…laughs galore. 

And it was exactly what Louis had been avoiding for the past six years. 

“You know what…never mind…obviously I’m overstepping,” Liam said as silence lingered between them. “Just forget I said anything.” 

“We’ll be there,” Louis said so quickly he didn’t even realize the words had come out of his mouth. 

Liam broke out into a huge smile. “You will? Great!” he said. 

“Hi, Daddy,” Ellie said she walked into the kitchen. “Hi Liam!!” she added excitedly when she saw him. 

Louis turned his gaze away from Liam. “Good morning, my love,” he said. “Liam brought you a donut.” 

“Ooo oo yay! Thank yooooooooou,” she said and ran over to hug Liam’s leg. 

He rubbed her back gently. “You are more than welcome,” he told her. 

Louis got up to pour her some milk while she and Liam chatted. 

“Daddy, are we going to the market today?” Ellie asked after Liam had helped her settle on a stool. 

“Yeah, sure…if you want to,” he replied. 

“Yes, please…but I need your help…” Ellie said. 

Louis set down the glass in front of her. “What can I help you with?” he asked. 

Ellie looked over at Liam and then back at her father. “Umm, it’s a secret,” she explained. 

Liam chuckled. “I think that’s my cue,” he replied. “We can talk more about Christmas Eve later.” 

“Sounds good,” Louis replied. “Thanks again for breakfast.” 

“You’re welcome,” he said, grabbing his coat and hat before heading out the door. 

“What’s up with the mysterious business?” Louis asked after he rejoined her at the counter. 

Ellie wiped her hand over her mouth. Louis tsked and handed her a napkin. “I want to get presents for Liam and Avery,” she explained, making a big show of delicately dabbing at her lips with the paper product. 

“Oh, I see…” Louis said to her with a nod. “Maybe instead of buying them something you can make it.” 

“Like what?” she asked him. 

“You could make an ornament for their tree…or a picture frame…maybe a paperweight for Liam’s desk…or a sign for Avery’s room,” Louis ticked off. 

“I could do all those things!” Ellie exclaimed. 

Louis laughed. “We better get started then!” he said. 

“But we can still go to the market later, right?” she asked him. 

“Sure we can,” Louis replied. 

“Good…I want to see Avery and Liam lots before we leave,” Ellie told him. 

“Liam invited us over for dinner on Christmas Eve…” he revealed. 

“They did!?” she said excitedly. “Oh, good! Hey, Daddy…”

“What’s up, El?” he asked her. 

“Do you think that maybe…like even though we don’t live here Avery and I can still be friends?” she asked. 

Louis smiled. “You can still talk to her on the phone and FaceTime. And maybe they’d like to come visit us in Chicago,” he said. 

“Will you and Liam still be friends?” Ellie asked. 

Friends? The word didn’t seem to quite fit. “I’m sure we’ll keep in touch, yeah,” Louis confirmed. 

“Good…you have fun with him. I like it,” Ellie replied between bites of her donut. 

Louis smiled at her. “Yeah, me too,” he agreed. 

***

The market was full of everyone in Evergreen who thought they had any crafting talent. There were wreaths, ornaments, and Christmas décor as far as the eye could see. 

Ellie spotted Megan and Avery right away and made a beeline for them. Louis jogged behind to catch up. 

“Megan, hey…good to see you,” Louis said. 

“Hi, Louis…how are you? How’s Evergreen treating you?” Megan asked. 

“We’ve been enjoying our time here,” Louis replied. “It reminded me of all the good times my family spent here when I was a kid. It really brought Christmas back into our lives.” 

“That’s a positive thing,” Megan agreed. 

“I sound like a greeting card,” Louis chuckled. “It’s going to be strange…going back to the real world.” 

“Yeah, it always takes me a few days to readjust if I’ve been here more than two days,” Megan said with a laugh. “But you’ll be back to visit, right?” 

“Maybe?” Louis said, shifting from foot to foot. “I mean once the house is sold I don’t know.” 

“I’m sure Liam wouldn’t mind seeing you,” Megan said, trying her best to be casual. 

Louis’ cheeks got a little pink. “Speaking of…where is he?” he asked her. 

“He said he had an errand to run. He was super coy about it?” she said with a laugh. “But we’re meeting at the diner at 5. You’re invited too.” 

“Great…thank you,” Louis replied. “He also invited us over for Christmas Eve. Is there anything I need to bring?” 

“Just yourselves,” she said. “Liam handles everything. I’m not even allowed to help.” 

“Because you’re his guest?” Louis asked. 

Megan snorted. “No…because he doesn’t trust me,” she said. 

“That’s brotherly love for you,” Louis said with a laugh. 

“It seems like you guys really get along,” Megan said, trying (and failing) to be coy herself. 

Louis looked anywhere but at Megan. “Yeah, for sure…we’re friends,” he said. There was that word again. 

“Is that all?” Megan teased. 

“Why…what did he say?” Louis asked him, trying (and failing) not to sound like a schoolboy. 

She held up her hands. “No, nothing like that. It’s just…after he got divorced he shut down. But with you…he’s more like himself,” she explained. “Oh, speak of the devil,” she said and answered her ringing phone. 

Louis wanted her to hang up and talk more about this revelation, but maybe it was good they were interrupted. It was crazy to think he and Liam had a future. 

_The Eleventh Day of Christmas- December 23, 2018_

“What do you mean you can’t come?” Louis said to Liam. They were standing on the front lawn with the Ellie and Avery. They had made plans to meet that afternoon to take the girls to Town Hall to see Santa. 

“I have a lot to prep for tomorrow,” Liam explained. “Food and stuff.” 

Louis made a face. “If it’s too much work to have us over for dinner…” he said. 

“No!” Liam said quickly. “I want you guys there…we all do…it’s not that. I just need more time than I thought.” 

“I can help you,” Louis offered. “We can just go later to see Santa.” 

Liam shook his head. “Santa’s only going to be there until 4:00,” he said. “And the girls are so excited. They won’t even miss me.” 

“Well, okay…I guess,” Louis relented. “Is Megan coming with me?” 

“No!” he said so loudly Louis actually took a step back from him. 

“You’re actually letting her help you cook?” Louis said, recalling the conversation he had with Liam’s sister yesterday. 

“Huh? No, I mean…can’t you do it on your own?” he asked. 

Louis finally gave up. “Yes, okay…you big weirdo,” he said to him. “Come on, ladies…Santa waits for no one.” 

***

“Daddy?” Ellie asked, tugging on Louis’ coat sleeve. 

“Yes, baby doll?” he replied. The line to meet Santa was on par with the release of the new iPhone. It was going to be a while. 

“Is Santa going to be mad at me?” she asked him nervously. 

Louis frowned. “Why would Santa be mad at you?” he asked. 

“Because I’ve never asked him for presents before. I always just ask you,” Ellie explained. “I don’t want him to think I don’t trust him or that he’s not real.” 

“Oh, my love…it’s okay,” he assured her. “Santa understands…he’s not going to be upset.” 

“Are you sure…like super sure?” she asked him. 

Louis leaned down to kiss the top of her head. “I’m super sure…but you can tell him it was my fault if you need to, okay?” 

“Okaaaaaaay,” she said, excitedly jumping from one foot to another. 

Avery was unable to stand still as well. “I’m so happy you’re coming to dinner tomorrow,” she said. 

Louis smiled. “Me too,” he replied. “Your dad and your aunt are cooking up a storm today, huh?” 

Avery shook her head no. “Daddy doesn’t let Aunt Megan cook,” she replied. 

Louis was still confused about Liam being all twitchy earlier. “Well, maybe he’s making an exception for Christmas,” he said. 

“I heard them talking,” Avery said. “Daddy says he wants everything to be perfect. He wants to impress you.” 

“Oh, I see,” he said to her, trying to hide a smile. 

Avery shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know what that means,” she said. 

“Just focus on talking to Santa, okay?” Louis said, ruffling her hair. 

Ten games of Eye Spy later they were finally at the front of the line. Louis watched with a weird sense of pride as Ellie talked to Santa. It always did his heart good to see her enjoying herself. 

Louis snapped a ton of pictures to send to his parents and share with Liam as well. 

Ellie skipped over to him. “I did it!” she said happily. 

“You were amazing!” he said and raised his hand for a high five. “Did you have a nice talk?” 

“Yes!” she told him, smacking his hand with her own. “I told him I’m a believer and he promised to try and get me what I asked for.” 

“And what did tell him you wanted?” Louis asked her. 

She held up her index finger to her lips. “Secret,” she replied. 

***

Louis texted Liam to tell him they were on the way back. No reply. Not that it really mattered. Town Hall was less than five minutes from the house. 

As he turned onto Pine Lane he saw a crowd of people, including Megan, Niall, and Harry, in front of his grandma’s house. “What in the world…” he trailed off. 

“Oh, lookit the geese!” Avery said, clapping her hands together. 

Louis parked the SUV at the end of the driveway and took a closer look. Liam and a group of Pine Lane residents were busy decorating 6 Pine Lane in accordance with the 12 Days of Christmas. He killed the engine and bolted out of the vehicle and up the driveway. “What are you doing!?” he exclaimed. 

Liam turned around. He looked at his watch. “You’re early! We wanted to have this finished before you got home,” he said. “What do you think?” 

“What do I think?” Louis exclaimed. “I think you seriously overstepped!” 

A look of confusion flashed across Liam’s face. “I knew you didn’t want to do this yourself so I thought if I did it for you…” he began. 

“You thought wrong!” Louis replied. He turned to the rest of the neighbors who were awkwardly watching this scene unfold. “I’m sorry…but you guys need to stop. Please, just go home…”

No one had to tell anyone twice…and within a minute the lawn was empty. 

“I was just trying to help,” Liam said meekly. 

Louis could feel tears beginning to wet his cheeks. “Ryan and I spent our first Christmas together here,” he said. “He completely adored the walk…we both did…and…it’s just too much. Seeing it hurts too much.” 

“Oh, I’m really sorry, Louis,” he said sincerely. “I thought maybe since you were coming around on the other traditions you would want to do this too. I mean you got a tree and you took the kids to see Santa and…”

“Do you want to know why I did all of that?!” Louis demanded. He pulled out the list his grandmother had written from his pocket. “Because of this! Because as her dying wish my grandma asked me to come back to Evergreen for Christmas…and do all the stupid traditions on her list!” 

Liam’s face fell. “Everything…everything that happened here was because of a list?” he asked. 

“Yes! Nothing here was real…nothing…it didn’t mean anything,” Louis choked out, unable to meet his gaze. 

Liam swallowed. “Ah, I see,” he said quietly. “I will…make sure all of this stuff is taken down. So you don’t have to look at it anymore.” 

Louis crossed his arms over his chest. “Thank you,” he said softly. 

Liam opened his mouth to say something, but closed it instead, pressing his lips together tightly. He walked past Louis to get Avery out of the car. 

_The Twelfth Day of Christmas- December 24, 2018_

Louis watched at the clock changed from 11:59 to 12:00. It was officially Christmas Eve. 

He sighed and rolled over onto his back. The events of the previous day played like a movie reel in his mind. 

The 6th day of Christmas decorations on the lawn. The hurt look on Liam’s face when he showed him the list. 

Louis opened his eyes and then closed them again tightly. If only he could rewind the past twelve days. He never would have come to Evergreen. He never would have gotten so involved in the holiday season. He never would have met Liam. 

But his heart knew the truth…he didn’t want to change a thing. 

Louis didn’t think he’d fall for anyone ever again. Ryan had been the love of his life…no one could replace him. But now there was Liam…stirring up feelings he thought had died along with his husband. 

And, as usual, he reacted without really thinking. He didn’t take the time to process his feelings. He just went off on someone who didn’t deserve it. 

Louis had been so scared of falling in love that instead of giving himself permission to move on he freaked out and hid behind his emotions. 

Now Liam thought everything between them had been a lie. 

“Daddy…” Ellie whispered from the doorway. 

Louis sat up a little. “What are you doing?” he asked her. “You’re supposed to be asleep.” 

“I can’t fall asleep,” she replied. 

“Come up here,” he said and pulled the covers aside for her. 

Ellie, clad in her red and green plaid nightgown, climbed into bed and snuggled in next to him. She rested her head on his chest. 

Louis gently carded his fingers through her hair. “I changed our plane tickets. We’re going to leave this afternoon,” he told her. 

“Oh…” she said sadly. 

“We’ll have a nice time,” he said to her. “I promise.” 

“Daddy, why can’t we just stay?” she asked softly. “I like it here. You could tell Liam you’re sorry for yelling…he’d say it’s okay.” 

“Oh, baby doll…it’s a lot more complicated than that,” he said gently. 

“Could you try?” Ellie said. “Sometimes I mess up, but you always tell me I can make things better.” 

“I said that, huh?” Louis said to her. 

She looked up at him and nodded her head yes. “Could you please try?” she asked. 

“Santa’s not going to come if you don’t fall asleep,” he said, sidestepping her question. 

“When I met Santa…I asked him to let us stay here,” Ellie said sadly. “I guess he’s not real after all.” 

***

Ellie eventually drifted off to sleep and Louis dozed a little bit. Needless to say he woke up on the groggy side of the bed. 

After making some coffee he and Ellie sat down in the living room. She halfheartedly opened her presents. 

“This one is for you,” Ellie said and handed him a wrapped package. 

“For me?” he asked, taking it from her hands. 

“Uh huh,” she said. “It’s from me…not Santa,” she clarified. 

Louis smiled and unwrapped the gift. 

“I made it for you…Liam helped me,” she told him. 

He looked down at the handcrafted picture frame in his hands. Ellie had decorated popsicle sticks with green and red paint (and of course some glitter). The sticks framed a photo of the four of them that they had taken at the snowman building contest. 

Louis wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “It’s beautiful, baby doll…thank you so much,” he said. 

“I’m glad you like it,” she told him. “What time do we have to leave?” 

Louis looked down at the picture and then back at his sweet little girl. “Let’s go next door,” he said to her. 

“Next door?” she said, her brows knit in confusion. 

“Yeah, come on,” he said, scooping her up and resting her on his hip. He grabbed a blanket off the back of the couch and wrapped it around her. He haphazardly put his coat over his shoulders as they headed out the door. 

It had snowed overnight so Louis crunched through the snow in only his slippers. He knocked on the Payne’s front door. 

Liam opened the door and gave them a once over. “You’re going to get frostbite! Get inside,” he said, pushing the door open wider. 

“Thanks,” Louis said as he stepped inside. He set Ellie down and she bolted to find Avery. 

“What’s going on?” Liam asked him. 

“Merry Christmas,” Louis replied. 

“Merry Christmas…what’s going on?” Liam asked again. 

Louis took a deep breath and started talking, “I was a complete asshole yesterday. I took out my own suppressed feelings on you. I was so scared to face my hangups about the holidays and being vulnerable, and shit…I mean stuff. Being in Evergreen is the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time. Meeting you is the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time. I’ve loved everything that happened since El and I got here. You and Avery were never just items to check off a list. You gave us a home again. I’m so sorry.” 

Liam just stared at him…trying to process everything Louis had just declared. 

“Please…say something…” he stammered…his bravado fading away as his nerves began getting the best of him. 

Liam took a step forward, closing the space between them. He cupped Louis’ face in his hands and kissed him on the lips. 

His mouth was warm and sweet and Louis felt more alive than he had in a long time. 

When they broke apart Liam pressed his forehead to his, nuzzling their noses together. “Everything has been so much better with you here,” he said softly. “I want you to stay a part of my life…our lives.” 

Louis’ heart was beating a mile a minute. “I’m not going to sell the house. I decided. I mean, I don’t know if we’re going to move here or maybe just visit to start, but…those are decisions I want to make with you…if you want…” Louis told him. 

“I want…I want 100%,” Liam said without hesitation, his gaze never leaving Louis’. 

“And thank you for decorating the house so Rebecca won’t kick me out of town,” Louis said, trying to lighten the mood a little. 

“Rescuing Tomlinsons since 2015,” he replied with a laugh. 

Louis wrapped his arms around his neck and stood up on his toes to press their lips together again. Liam eagerly leaned in to meet him halfway. 

A smattering of applause caused them to break apart. Ellie, Avery, and Megan were standing in the doorway. 

Liam buried his face in Louis’ neck. “We’ve attracted an audience,” he said sheepishly. 

Louis smiled and hugged Liam tighter. “What do you say, El…do you want to stay here for Christmas instead of going to Maui?” he asked her. 

“Yes! Yes, yes, yes!!!” Ellie cheered, jumping up and down on her bare feet. 

After hugs were exchanged they headed into the living room so Avery could show Ellie all the goodies Santa had brought her. Liam turned on a Spotify Christmas playlist. 

The opening notes of O, Holy Night filled the room. 

“Whoa…” Louis said to himself as he sank back into the couch. 

Liam turned to him, eyebrow quirked upward. 

“This was my grandma’s favorite song,” he said softly. 

Liam smiled as he lowered himself next to him. He wrapped his arm around him, cuddling him in close. 

Louis had no idea what the future held, but he did know he was excited to find out. 

THE END

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you thought of the story!


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